willpower

Or will pow·er

[wil-poh-er]

noun

1. control of one's impulses and actions; self-control.

willpower

/ ˈwɪlˌpaʊə /

noun

1. the ability to control oneself and determine one's actions

2. firmness of will

Word History and Origins

Origin of willpower¹

First recorded in 1870–75; will ² ( def. ) + power ( def. )

Example Sentences

The phrase “play harder,” Mr. Early writes, “was an expression of aspiration, determination, willpower, and courage.”

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“We’ve been misled about how much willpower and conscious control we really have over our long-term food intake,” they write.

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For its first two seasons, “And Just Like That” wasted endless minutes pushing Carrie and her friends into politicized circumstances that tested the audience’s willpower.

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The word skinny has become a buzz word online, Eve said, with many promoting extreme weight loss under the guise of having "healthy" self control and willpower.

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A once-revered universal healthcare system is crumbling at every level, sometimes barely getting by on the sheer willpower of doctors and local communities.

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Related Words

• firmness www.thesaurus.com
• grit 
• self-control 
• self-discipline